


Waking Up To A Dream

by SpellCasterLight



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Swearing, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:14:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29330634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpellCasterLight/pseuds/SpellCasterLight
Summary: As crazy as it sounds; he owed Toneri a thank you. [Shikamaru x Hinata]
Relationships: Hyuuga Hinata/Nara Shikamaru
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way shape or form. This story is purely for entertainment not profit.
> 
> Author's Notes: I'm not sure I can write a note about this story without starting a shipping war xD
> 
> But yea; this was a random thought I had when I started hearing stuff about the movie way back when.
> 
> Pairing Warning: It also goes without saying but if [Shikamaru x Hinata] isn't your thing turn back now.
> 
> Warnings: Violence. Light swearing.

It turned out Toneri was far more powerful than any of them realised. He wanted to punish them all for destroying his mission and stealing his 'Byakugan Princes's well after he had gone.

Shikamaru, it seemed, figured it out first.

The way Naruto would look like he sometimes had to remind himself to be utterly devoted to Hinata and the way the blonde boy's eyes lingered on Sakura when he thought no-one was looking.

Naruto didn't love Hinata; the Genjutsu type power Toneri wielded from those green orbs, that allowed him to read and manipulate minds, was so strong Naruto _believed_ he loved Hinata; and it had deceived them all.

He had never heard of a Genjutsu, or anything of the sort, that stuck around for weeks after it was cast but there were a lot of things about Toneri that didn't make any sense.

But the Genjutsu was failing and their punishment was beginning.

Hinata's punishment was her heart was about to be torn out of her chest; for rejecting the man that wanted to be her husband, it was rather poetic.

Naruto's would be losing the purple haired girls affections and then being on the receiving end of his friends, and the villages, anger at hurting such a lovely and innocent person.

Sakura's punishment would be finally realising her own feelings for the blonde-haired ninja and further hurting everyone.

Sai's punishment would be being caught in the middle of Team Seven's inevitable breakdown and losing the first real home he had ever known.

And him, Shikamaru, his punishment?

His punishment was to _know_ and not be able to _do_ anything about it. To watch his friend's hearts crumble and simply have to wait for the inevitable moment when the wall would come crashing down.

So, when he put his hand on the door handle to Kurenai's house and heard a quiet sob he just _knew_.

She looked up at him from her curled-up position on Kurenais sofa and her eyes widened even more, the tears still falling freely from her eyes, after a few moments of them staring at each other she muttered an almost silent. "You _know_."

He gulped openly, there was no nice way of saying 'yes, I knew eventually the mind manipulation Toneri put on everyone would fail at some point and would destroy everyone' or well, _anything_ about this situation so he only managed to force out a "Ye-yea."

When she sobbed again he was over to her in a flash wrapping her up in his arms and laying her down on the sofa with him. If he had been a more emotional man, or even just a man who knew how to handle a crying woman, he would have whispered to her that everything would be alright and ran his fingers through her hair to help calm her down but instead he simply gripped her to him as tight as he could.

"It-it was al-all a _li-lie,_ " she sobbed harder than ever and he gripped her even tighter. "He-he _nev-never_ loved m-me," she wailed into his chest and Shikamaru felt his own heart break at the sound.

She cried and cried and cried and Shikamaru did nothing except hold her and curse the fact that he could do nothing more.

When she had finally cried herself to sleep, he managed to silently detangle himself from her so she was lying on the sofa on her own.

When he noticed her shiver, he pulled a blanket off the back of the sofa and draped it over her; she snuggled into it in her sleep.

Shikamaru turned to leave but thought better of it. Instead, he settled himself in the single seat opposite the sofa. Sitting sideways so his head fell against the back of the chair and his legs lay awkwardly over the chairs arm. He shifted to get more comfortable never taking his eyes off the Hyuga princess. His neck was definitely going to hurt in the morning.

Enough people had just up and left her in her life; what was a crick in his neck over knowing someone gave a damn about her?

He didn't remember falling asleep but he awoke due to the sun in his eyes. When he blinked the sleep away he found her staring at him, still wrapped up in the blanket he had put over her last night.

Her smile was ethereal in the morning light, even with her unkempt hair and tear streaked cheeks. "Thank you Shi-Shikamaru," she whispered.

There were a hundred things he could have said 'you're welcome', 'it was my pleasure', 'I'm glad you're ok' or even 'I'll punch Naruto when I next see him for you' but all that came out of his mouth was-

"Would you like to get breakfast with me?"

From the look in her eyes she was silently weighing this up in her head before nodding.

"I thi-think I wa-want pancakes."

If he had been Kiba or Lee or someone else who was a bit freer with his emotions he would have laughed.

"Pancakes sound good to me too."

That made her smile.


	2. Chapter 2

It turned out Naruto had been given several beat downs over the next few weeks from a wide range of people they all had in common. Kiba, Tsunade, Ino, Kurenai, Lee, Tenten, the list went on and on.

He hadn't seen but he had heard from Choji that it was both hilarious and terrifying watching Shino chase after the blonde with a swamp of bees down Main Street.

Naruto also had a few smack downs by people he had never met before but obviously Hinata meant a lot to them.

Her sister Hanabi, another Hyuga by the name of Ko he had to be told was Hinatas lifetime bodyguard, other Hyugas he, again, had never heard of and a wide range of other shinobi and villagers that had taken great offense to Naruto 'playing' with Hinata for a few months.

So, as Shikamaru sadly predicted, Naruto's popularity and acceptance after being a main part in helping win the war a few short years ago had plummeted and the only people that seemed to want to be around him were Sakura and Sai.

Ino thought it was best to get Hinata interacting with people, and Kami help him because he _agreed_ with the Yamanaka on something. So, he asked her if she would like to have dinner with his team and her face lit up and she muttered a small "Th-that would be lovely."

That was the start of the next few months for their group. Dinners and karaoke and picnics and group training happening so often now he couldn't remember a day not filled with seeing most of the group. With the peace time in full swing, barely any dangerous missions and simply wanting to appreciate the fact that most of their friends were alive they were all more than happy to get together and talk the night away.

So that's how Shikamaru found himself walking from Kurenai's with Hinata, Choji and Ino at his side happily chatting away on a calm Tuesday night heading for all-you-can-eat-barbeque when it happened.

They turned a corner and Naruto and Sakura were sitting on a bench kissing like there was no tomorrow.

Ino's disgusted exclaim broke them apart and Sakura, turning and seeing who it was, immediately bolted leaving Naruto on his own.

No-one spoke, but the Nara seemed to, without thinking, grab Hinata's hand and pull her behind him as if to protect her.

Naruto seemed to wince but gave a slight wave and an awkward laugh. "Hey-hey Hinata."

Shikamaru saw _red_.

He was so furious that he didn't even need to make a hand sign to make the shadows obey him. The shadows around him swirled ominously for a second before swarming Naruto, wrapping around his neck and outright slamming him into the nearest brick wall. The boy clawed at the bindings fruitlessly.

"Shikamaru!" Ino cried beside him sounding terrified. "Shikamaru cut it out!"

"Stop it man!" Choji was yelling now.

Hinata had run out from behind to get in front of him, grab his jacket. "Shi-Shika please _stop_."

"He; _hurt_ ; you," he outright growled from somewhere deep in his throat. His hands flew to her shoulders; his fingers gripping her so tight she would have bruises.

"I-I know! But I do-don't ca-care about that!" She was crying now and shaking him with her trembling hands. "You'll get in trou-trouble! I don't want you in trouble ple- _please_ Shika."

As if someone was turning the dial that controlled him, his anger slowed down and down until it was non-existent and all he felt was drained.

The shadows, as if alive, unwrapped themselves from around the boys throat and slid back to the ground and pulled back to the shadow user.

One lingering shadow, no thicker than a finger, slid across the girl's cheek to remove her tears before falling back into its master's body's shadow.

"Co-come on Shika," she pulled him away to start down the street, keeping his hand in hers the whole way.

The next hour after that was a strange blur, but he remembered something about Hinata dragging him home and her having a hurried whispered conversation with his mother and father before being put to bed.

He woke up the next day with a pounding headache and he practically stumbled down the stairs to sit outside with his father; he felt like he needed the fresh air and some calming green tea.

"That Hyuga girl was practically carrying you through the door and your chakra was going crazy when you got here."

"Yea?"

"Yea."

Shikamaru sipped his tea silently focusing on his breathing.

"She said you didn't make any hand signs and it was a sight to behold."

"Hmm."

They fell into silence again. If Nara men were good at anything it was Shogi, annoying their significant others and sitting in silence for hours on end.

"I only remember being able to do that once before."

"Oh yea?" Shikamaru looked up at his father. "What happened?"

"Your mother was attacked and nearly died."

The younger Nara gained a look of knowing. "The scar on her side?"

"It was a few days after we got engaged, we were sent on a mission and a Rain Ninja nearly gutted her."

The Nara Clan Head cracked his cup from how hard he gripped it.

"The _rage_ that flew through my veins," he stared into space. "I've never felt anything like it."

Again; more silence.

"I need to apologise."

"To Naruto?"

Shikamaru scoffed. "Naruto can rot for all I care, I meant Hinata; I scared her."

"I thought you had a girlfriend in Suna."

The abrupt change in conversation caught him off guard. "Yea, Temari, what about her?"

Shikaku seemed to stare _through_ his son instead of _at_ him.

"Women make Nara men do stupid things. Don't do anything stupid."

"What a drag; whatever."

The fact his father's words felt more like a prediction rather than advice unnerved him.


	3. Chapter 3

"Shika!" She ran to him when she saw him in the Hyuga Compound and it made his heart do a strange sort of clench. She put her hands on his forearms. "Are you ok? How-how are you?"

"My head hurts," he told her truthfully. "But I'm ok. It was you I was worried about."

Her head lowered slightly but she didn't let go of his arms. "I guess I always sa-saw Sakura and Naruto getting to-together and strangely, even tho-though I loved Naruto so much –" he picked up on the past tense "–it didn't hu-hurt seeing them together. I'm-I'm happy for them," she gave a pure smile.

Shikamaru gave an inaudible gulp. "I meant your shoulders; I gripped you quite hard last night."

"O-Oh," Hinata blushed in embarrassment of her impromptu confession and showed him her upper arms not covered by her white sleeveless top.

Shikamaru hissed violently through his teeth; as he suspected angry yellow bruises littered her shoulders.

"I'm sorry," he said, barely above a whisper, running his fingertips over the bruises of her right shoulder.

"It's o-okay," she smiled at him and somehow that just made him feel worse. "You were just try-trying to protect m-me weren't you? You got an-angry because you tho-thought I would be up-upset."

"That doesn't make it okay for me to hurt you," he gently scolded. "Can I make it up to you?"

She blinked up at him looking confused. "Make it up to m-me?"

"Let me take you to dinner," he offered. "Tonight if you're free?" He licked his lips, why was his mouth going dry?

She smiled at him and he would have sworn up and down it outshined the sun. "That would be so ni-nice of you Shi-Shika! Unfortunately I have Clan business to-tonight but co-could we may-maybe have dinner tomorrow ni-night instead?" Her shoulders drooped slightly. "O-only if you're free-"

"Yes, tomorrow night, of course, perfect," he forced himself to swallow. "Seven then?" He didn't mean to sound so eager; so why did he?

She nodded her head, smiling sweetly again. "Y-yes, seven sounds nice."

A Hyuga he didn't recognise took that second to call out to Hinata that she had a meeting with her father in a few minutes and she was going to be late.

At this realisation Hinata told Shikamaru she would see him tomorrow and made a hasty retreat into the house.

Shikamaru, happy with how his visit to the Hyuga compound had turned out, turned to leave, and found a younger girl standing a mere foot from him and frowning.

"Umm hi Hanabi is it?" He questioned.

"Did you just ask my sister on a date?"

"I just asked her to have dinner with me is all."

Now that Shikamaru said it out loud...

"Isn't that kind of the definition of a date?" Hanabi raised her own eyebrow crossing her arms.

"Well usually yea I suppose," Shikamaru tried to make his shoulders relax as he shrugged. "But I just want to say sorry for yesterday."

That explanation, from the look on the younger girl's face, didn't convince her. It was then that a thought struck the Nara.

"Not to mention I have a girlfriend."

 _That_ made Hanabi relax.

"Oh; I see, sorry about that then."

"Yea don't sweat it," he slouched and put his hands in his pockets, trying to hide the mild panic in his mind. "I gotta head, see ya," he muttered before lazily waving at Hinata's sister and heading for the exit.

He walked slightly faster than usual, but still slow enough that he could pass it off as his normal walking.

When he was out of the compound he started to slow down until he was at a standstill.

He took in a long deep breath and ran his hands over his face.

Why did it take him so long to remember he had a girlfriend?


	4. Chapter 4

When he got home, as usual, his mother immediately started badgering him with questions and random bits of information that she had, most likely, already bothered his father with from the bored expression on his face.

"Will you be joining me and your father at the festival tomorrow night? Or do you have plans with your friends?"

Shikamaru looked up from the scroll he was reading at the kitchen table. "What festival?"

"Oh don't you know? There is a mini one night festival on tomorrow night; there will be fireworks down at the river and everything!"

' _Hinata would love that'_

"Umm yea I have plans with Hinata," he said answering his mother's first question.

His mother looked up from chopping the vegetables for their dinner. "Hinata? That Hyuga girl from yesterday?"

Shikamaru nodded. "Yea that's her."

When he felt eyes boring into his head he turned to find his father with the same expression he had this morning when he was telling him not to do anything stupid; apparently having plans with Hinata counted as something stupid.

Yoshino seemed to not notice the sudden tension between her husband and son. "She seemed nice."

"Yea she's pretty amazing."

He didn't fail to notice his father's raised eyebrow at that.

Shikamaru stood from the table. "Can I borrow the messenger hawk? I need to send her a message."

One round trip of the hawk later and Hinata had replied saying she had completely forgot about the Summer festival as well, she would love to go with him and she would lay out her Yukata before she forgot.

"Yukata," Shikamaru sighed. "I forgot about that part."

He had outgrown his last one and had never got around to buying another one. He would have to go out now and quickly buy another one.

Another sigh escaped him.

"What a drag."

' _But Hinata will be wearing one to,'_ he thought suddenly. _'She'll no doubt be gorgeous in it.'_

With that thought he grabbed his wallet and headed into town.


	5. Chapter 5

At six thirty he left the house already cursing the awkward garment and sandals he couldn't walk in.

The streets were already filled with people, dressed to impress and chatting happily with whoever they were with, be it groups of friends or families or couples. He had already run into Lee and Tenten heading towards the main fair.

He was almost proud of himself for making it to the Hyuga compound without falling on his face in the ridiculous shoes he wore.

"Shi-Shika! You're early!" He heard Hinata yell as she came around the corner.

Her hair was up in an elegant bun with two oriental hairsticks in it of plain white. Her Yukata, flawless as expected, was an ivory base colour and was decorated with light purple lilacs.

Her white kinchaku purse hung elegantly from her wrist and, unlike him, she had no trouble skipping, like she was doing now, in the geta on her feet.

He internally groaned, Kami help him she was beautiful.

"Come on le-let's go!" She grabbed his hand and started to pull him towards the gate.

"You look beautiful," he let slip before he could stop himself. The pretty blush she gave in response was worth it.

"That's swe-sweet Shika tha-thank you."

"Can I take your arm?" He offered his arm out to her.

She smiled slightly playing with the strap of her purse. "So swe-sweet."

He smirked. "I try."

What was _wrong_ with him? He knew he was many thing but 'sweet' probably wasn't one of them.

She grinned gently setting her hand on his forearm.

It was only a few minute's walk to get to the stalls and games in the centre of the village; her giggling every time he nearly fell over in his sandals and making polite chit-chat.

"Oh wow!" She let out an amazed sigh as her other hand came to hold onto his upper arm.

He had to admit the Main Street were everything had been set up was well done.

Paper lanterns of different colours hung from zigzagging lines attached to roofs, people were laughing and talking creating a general mood of happy citizens and the smells coming from the food stalls made his mouth water.

"Let's go se-see!" She grinned up at him and began leading the way.


	6. Chapter 6

"All these sm-smells are ma-making me hun-hungry!"

"Shall we get something to eat?"

"Oh ye-yes pl-please!"

"What are you in the mood for?" He asked.

"Umm," she thought looking around. "Oh!" She pointed to a stall slightly to their left. "Can we get the chi-chicken skewers? Father always thi-thinks they are too me-messy to ea-eat so I hardly ever get them an-and they're so tasty!"

He shrugged with a slight upturn of his lips. "Sounds good to me Hinata."

When they ordered he got a selection cup of several different skewers, each chicken skewer covered in a different spice. He paid before she even had her purse out.

"I'll bu-buy dessert then, it's on-only fair," she said still giving him the stink eye.

He held up the cardboard container. "Ladies first."

They simply walked down the street at a snail's pace, eating their skewers and talking and laughing at whatever topic popped into their heads about.

Shikamaru threw the empty carton in a nearby bin before pulling her to another stall.

Her eyes widened when she saw what the stall contained. "Ice cream!"

He chuckled lightly at her enthusiasm. "What flavour would you like?"

Her finger came to her lip and her other hand rewrapped itself around his upper arm. She pointed at a dark orange tub. "Can I ha-have salted ca-caramel please?"

He ordered her a large when she asked for a small.

"It's bi-bigger than my he-head!" Obviously, it was an exaggeration but it was a very large portion of ice cream. "I'm not go-going to be a-able to fin-finish it!"

"Yes you will," he raised an eyebrow at her. "I've seen you devour ice cream like oxygen."

She blushed but leaned into his arm she was still holding, taking a bite and 'mmm'ing at the taste.

"Oh lo-look at that," she suddenly pointed at a stuffed toy deer held on a shelf in the back of a stall on the other side of the street. "It's like a t-toy ver-version of you Shika! Except yo-you're better to hu-hug," she giggled at her own joke, her cheeks lighting up.

"What's the game?" He asked to cover up his own cheeks burning in embarrassment.

There seemed to be multiple multicoloured cubes sitting on the counter and a large timer in the centre.

"Fancy winning your girlfriend the toy deer boy?!" The elderly stall owner yelled at the pair earning their attention but also a few other peoples as well.

"What-what's the game Si-Sir?" Hinata repeated Shikamaru's question to the stall owner picking up one of the cubes as if it might explode.

"You will see that there are nine squares of each colour covering the cube," Hinata turned the cube around a few times to see for herself, Shikamaru leaning over her shoulder watching the cube as well.

"You need to get all nine of each colour onto the same side of the cube before the time limit runs out," the elderly man smiled a knowing smile. "It's harder than it sounds!"

Hinata gripped the bottom of the cube and turned the top like she was using a pepper grinder and the top row turned.

"But ho-how are you supposed to kn-know which way to tu-turn it?" Hinata asked as she did the motion a few more times and it only seemed to jumble the colours more.

"That's the game!" The old man chuckled.

Shikamaru gently took the cube out of Hinatas hands, turning it over and over again.

"Wha-What are you thi-thinking?" Hinata asked the Nara leaning down slightly to try and catch his eye.

Shikamaru straighten up to look the old man in the eye. "How quickly do I need to solve this to win that stuffed deer?" The shadow user indicated the deer with the cube.

The old man gained a shit eating grin. "Thirty seconds."

"Don't do it child," the young couple turned to find an elderly lady and, presumably, her husband standing slightly behind them. "It's completely unreasonable."

Shikamaru turned back to Hinata, who had her finger resting on her lip, the other hand holding up her ice cream.

Shikamaru turned to the old man with a smirk on his face. "Alright."

"Young man; don't waste your money!" The older lady insisted again.

As the stall owner reset the timer several patrons gathered round interested by the commotion.

"Are you su-sure Shika?" Hinata asked gnawing on her bottom lip as Shikamaru put his money on the counter. "Do you kn-know how to sol-solve it? Just like tha-that?"

He smirked at her again and got a sense of glee when he saw her eyes widened slightly and her cheeks reddened. "What's wrong? Don't you trust me?"

"Co-Course I do!" She argued slightly, before her shoulders slumped. "Well if yo-you're su-sure..."

"You ready?" The stall owner asked; grin in place and fist ready to hammer the button to start the timer.

"Readddddddy; GO!"

He brought his fist down on the button and the large red numbers began to countdown from thirty.

Shikamaru's fingers started flicking and twisting the lines of the cube right left up down so fast he heard several people comment on it from behind him.

A few more slower twists and a completed cube was set down on the counter. Several of the crowd gasped and clapped.

He had eight seconds to spare.

Hinata gasped from his right.

"But-how-what?" That stall owner was gapping at him. "No-one's completed it in the time limit before."

"You hav-haven't met Shi-Shikamaru Nara," Hinata said wrapping her free hand around his arm. He looked at her as she smiled brightly at the stall owner. She turned to meet his gaze with the most serene smile. "Everything he do-does is am-amazing."

Shikamaru had to remind himself to breathe.

When he snapped himself out of the daze Hinata had put him under, he turned to the stall owner with a smirk.

"The deer please," he tried to keep the smugness out of his voice.

The stall owner still blinking reached up and got the toy in question and handed it to the boy.

"Thank you," the Nara said before turning to the Hyuga making her jump. He held out the stuffed deer to her. "For you."

"Re-really?!" Her eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas as she hugged the stuffed deer tightly, her smile could light up the Christmas tree to go along with it. "Thank yo-you Shi-Shikamaru! I love him!"

He could usually stop himself from laughing at silly things but he let out a small laugh at that.

She cuddled her new toy; her blush dancing across her cheeks.

Shikamaru and Hinata, a minute later, after waving at the small crowd, were walking down the street again. Hinata had her hand around his arm, the same arm holding the deer toy to her chest as she took another bite of her ice cream.

"So what are you going to call him?" Shikamaru smiled asked raising their joint arms slightly to indicate her new possession.

"Da-Didn't I al-already say?" She asked back, her smile teasing. "He's na-named after you, his na-names Shika."

"What a drag," He muttered but had to close his eyes for a second to take a deep clearing breath, his brain feeling a little foggy.

"Wou-Would you like a li-lick of ic-ice cream?" She asked offering the cone in her hand.

' _I'd like to lick the ice cream off your lips,'_ the thought was instant and he quickly gave a shake of his head to get rid of it.

He took some from the cone making her giggle.

"It's getting da-dark the fireworks sho-should be sta-starting soon. How ab-about we get some hot ch-chocolate and find a ni-nice sp-spot on the ba-bank to watch them?"

He nodded. "That sounds like a good idea." He smirked. "Will you be able to finish a whole one by yourself? You just finished that whole ice cream by yourself."

"You ha-had a bit too!"

They found a stall only a few moments later that sold the hot beverage they were talking about.

"Umm I thi-think we sho-should share one. What do yo-you think?"

"Yea that sounds good."

"Will you le-let me pa-pay this time?" She gave her best glare. "You di-didn't let me bu-buy dessert after yo-you sa-said I could."

"I said nothing of the sort." Shikamaru corrected, making her sigh even when he saw her lips twitch in a smile.

They bought a large to share between them and made their way to the sloped banks to find a spot to watch the fireworks.

They passed the paper cup containing the hot chocolate back and forth, each taking sips which the other talked for twenty minutes before the first bang and splash of colour lit up the sky.

"Wow," she sighed leaning on his arm a little into the display. "I lo-love fireworks, I thi-think they're so-so beautiful; like a painting in th-the sk-sky."

The last firework exploded with the loudest bang yet and a round of applause erupted from the crowd; people started to move but the he remained seated with the Hyuga.

When she turned to him, he turned to her.

"Shikamaru I ju-just wa-wanted to sa-say-" She broke off biting her lip.

"Yea?"

Her biting her lip was drawing attention to the fact that they were full and plump and he wanted the nibble on them.

"I've ha- had such a lov-lovely night, sp-spending the fes-festival with you."

If he kissed her right now she would taste like hot chocolate and salted caramel and, as sweet as those flavours are on their own, Hinata's lips would add to them, making her the sweetest taste in the world.

She looked down; the few bits of her hair that had come loose from the high bun hiding her face somewhat.

"Temari is re-really lucky to ha-have a boy-boyfriend like yo-you."

His heart stopped and his blood became ice.

Oh yes. Temari. His girlfriend; and he was sitting there fantasising about kissing the beautiful Hyuga girl in front of him.

"I-I better go," she stood so suddenly he jumped.

"Hinata I-"

"I had su-such a ni-nice time; tha-thank you Shi-Shika; really," she looked distressed clutching the stuffed deer to her chest and it made his heart jump into his throat. "I'll se-see you so-soon ok?"

And then she was running back up the bank and merging with the crowd of festival goers.

He groaned out loud and flopped back to lie on the grassy bank and stare at the black sky.

"What a drag," he muttered to himself in a defeated tone.

He was in too deep and he knew it.


	7. Chapter 7

' _If you mention Hinatas name in your next letter at all you're dumped'_

He re-read the letter and sighed, mentally reading the letter he had sent Temari a few days ago.

It was true; he had mentioned Hinata's name one too many times for anyone to not be suspicious.

Throwing the letter in the bin he looked at one of the pictures on his desk. He had three in total. One of his Genin team, one of him and his parents but it was the centre picture that he looked at.

It was a picture of himself, Kurenai, Hinata and baby Mirai. Hinata was holding Mirai, Shikamaru had his arm around the Hyuga and Kurenai had her arms around all three of them. The red eyed woman had teased that it was the only photo she ever seen where he looked genuinely happy.

Shikamaru laughed lightly to himself before groaning and pinching the bridge of his nose.

When had he fallen for the 'Byakugan Princes's as well?


	8. Chapter 8

It was a few weeks after his letter from Temari were she threatened to dump him.

He walked casually up to Kurenai, Mirai and Hinata as they sat enjoying lunch in the Genjutsu user's garden with a giant red welt across his cheek; Hinata gasped and ran into the house to soak a cloth in cold water.

"Wha-what happened?" She asked as she held the cloth to his aching cheek.

"Temari broke up with me."

"Oh-oh my goodness! I'm so-so sorry Shika!"

He shrugged. "It's alright, it was going to happen sooner rather than later."

Hinata pouted in thought. "Sh-she broke up with yo-you? But she hi-hit you as well?"

He lowered his head; her hand followed his movements to keep the cloth on his cheek.

"Yea."

He knew she was waiting for more information, so when he didn't give it willingly she poked him in the chest.

"H-hey!" She giggled lightly and it truly was a beautiful sound. "Why did she hi-hit you?" She giggled again. "Do-do I need to hi-hit her ba-back for you?"

He looked up and smirked at her. "You gonna get into a cat fight for me Hinata?" He uncharacteristically winked at her. "That's every man's fantasy you know."

She blushed crimson and gapped at him before throwing her head into his chest to hide and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"I'm joking Hinata I'm sorry," he apologised even as he continued to chuckle. "I'm a drag; I know."

There were a few moments after where he continued to chuckle and he started running his hand over her hair.

"I-I mean it though," he heard her mutter into his jacket and his fingers stilled.

She tilted her head to look up at him and he looked down at her; Kami she was so close.

"I'd-" she seemed to take a few heavy breaths to steal herself before looking determined. "I'd do an-anything for you Shi-Shika."

That's when he kissed her; and it was everything he imagined and more.

A few years later; as he saw Hinata, looking absolutely radiant come down the path in the Nara forest that was the aisle, he had a fleeting thought that, as crazy as it sounds; he owed Toneri a thank you. For if it hadn't been for his manipulation she might never have woken up to the idea of a life without Naruto and he might never have got the dream he never knew he wanted.


End file.
